Tahoe National Forest
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Lower Carpenter Valley Tahoe National Forest |
May 24, 2022
The Truckee Donner Land Trust, in partnership with four other conservation groups, has been systematically buying up land in the Donner-Summit-to-Tahoe area, then making it available for public use. So far, more than 70,000 acres have been reclaimed by generous donations and tons of dedicated labor. Ski huts, bike trails, and more also are being planned and constructed. These folks are wonderful.
Today's venue, a portion of Carpenter Valley, was purchased in 2017 and was first opened in 2020. Previously, the area was closed off to the public for more than a hundred years! In an attempt to keep it pristine, even horses and dogs have been banned.
Getting started
The "new-style gate locks are fascinating
Immediately we encounter three or four big fallen trees across the trail. I hope that there aren't too many more.
North Fork Prosser Creek
The nifty boardwalks are pleasing to find
One of half a dozen nice benches on the route
One of half a dozen fun snowdrifts on the route
Lower Carpenter Valley
It does
The picnic table still is in its winter storage spot
Briefly, we must get back onto the roadway while passing through a local ranch.
This place has satellite TV, its own spring, and four bicycles in the garage
Bunchflower Daffodils planted by the residents
The rest of the lower valley
The Drummond's Anemone are right in the water
My partner forges ahead while I stop for photos
The only other humans we would see
Another nice plaque on another nice bench
No trail maintenance today
Looking back down the valley
That bridge-to-nowhere has an asphalt surface
Just beyond the bridge is a one-mile loop at the end of the trail. I start us off to the left so as to save the valley views for later.
Nearing the end of the loop
As we take advantage of the handy bench, Eileen looks down and spots a trio of my favorite flowers right at our feet:
Snowplant
Dandelions galore
Nuttall's Larkspur
Groundsel
"Gone", but not forgotten. That dead tree is beautiful
Alpine Waterleaf
It couldn't decide which way to grow
The trust even supplies its own boundary markers
Prosser Creek from the paved bridge
Eschscholtz's Buttercup
Baker's Violet
Meadow Thistle
Lambstongue Ragwort
Brown's Peony
Half alive — half dead
I cannot remember having seen the likes of that elsewhere except on bristlecone pines, which routinely adopt such a tactic so as to remain alive in the harsh climes of the Great Basin at timberline. A closer inspection reveals that it is but a single tree.
One of the springs near the ranch house
For the last mile, Eileen and I opt to remain on the roadway so as to avoid clambering over all the downed trees again.
§: Well, this was a very pleasant walk on a day when record-high temperatures
are being recorded back home, more than 6,000 feet below us. We must seek out more
of the newly acquired lands soon.
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